Department for Transport

Railways

lord berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many market-led proposals have been received for possible rail line reopening; whether they will publish the list of any such proposals; and when they will announce the next stage for them.

baroness sugg: The department has received 30 responses to its call for ideas for market-led proposals to enhance the railway, which it launched in March this year. These submissions covered a wide range of railway enhancements. The department cannot make an announcement about individual schemes at this time as these proposals were submitted in confidence and such disclosure may prejudice the commercial interests of the proposers. Individual promoters will be contacted later this year where the appropriate next steps will be discussed.

Road Works

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that there is greater co-ordination between local councils, utility and telecom companies in the digging up of roads and pavements when they carry out work and repairs.

baroness sugg: The Department is investing up to £10m in the development of a new digital service called Street Manager. This will transform the planning, management and communication of street works. It will also support more coordination and collaboration by works promoters.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Electricity Generation

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on electricity prices of the suspension of the Capacity Market.

lord henley: The Government is committed to delivering secure electricity at least possible cost to consumers. National Grid have confirmed that they do not believe the suspension of the Capacity Market will cause any risk to security of supply this winter. The Department regularly monitors wholesale electricity prices and there has been no discernible impact on forward prices as a result of the suspension of the Capacity Market.

Local Enterprise Partnerships

lord porter of spalding: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that the proposed reduction in public sector representation on Local Enterprise Partnership Boards(LEP) will not dilute the democratic accountability and oversight of LEPs at a local level.

lord henley: The Government published the Strengthened Local Enterprise Partnerships review on 24th July, which brought forward reforms to leadership, governance, accountability, financial reporting and geographical boundaries. Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) are public and private partnerships between local authorities, businesses and other key partners. This sets out our expectations around the active role of local authorities in providing a strong and direct link back to local people, and that local authorities continue to be a central part of each LEP’s democratic accountability. Collaboration between the public and private sector will remain key to LEPs’ success as locally elected leaders and businesses continue to work together to shape policies for their local areas.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Central African Republic: Armed Conflict

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of the Central African Republic about the killing of 42 refugees and the murder of two priests in the compound of the Alindao Diocese Cathedral, on 15 November.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are deeply concerned by the increase in violence in Central African Republic (CAR) over the past seven days. I strongly condemn sectarian attacks, provocations and incitement to violence against civilians, refugees and military personnel on the ground.The UK is committed to working with international organisations such as the UN and EU to ensure an effective response to the ongoing security and humanitarian crises. I met with President Touadera in September at the UN General Assembly and I expressed the UK's strong support for stabilising CAR.

John Cao

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking in response to the arrest by Chinese security agents on 5 March 2017 of John Cao, a Christian pastor and humanitarian worker, and his subsequent imprisonment in China.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is concerned by the arrest and detention of John Cao and will raise his case at the next round of the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue. We remain concerned by the restrictions placed on Christianity and other religions in China, that include individuals being harassed or detained for their beliefs. The freedom to practise, change or share ones faith or belief without discrimination or violent opposition is a human right that all people should enjoy. We believe that societies which aim to guarantee freedom of religion or belief are more stable, prosperous and resilient against violent extremism.We are robust in raising the full range of our human rights concerns with the Chinese authorities. We raised our concerns over restriction of freedom of religion or belief as part of China’s Universal Periodic Review in November 2018, and in our 27 June 2018 statement at the UN Human Rights Council.​

John Cao

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will make representations to the government of China about the case of John Cao, a Christian pastor and humanitarian worker; what evidence they are aware of to support the charges against him; and whether they will ascertain why a charge normally used to convict human traffickers was used in this case.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is concerned by the arrest and detention of John Cao and will raise his case at the next round of the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue. We remain concerned by the restrictions placed on Christianity and other religions in China, that include individuals being harassed or detained for their beliefs. The freedom to practise, change or share ones faith or belief without discrimination or violent opposition is a human right that all people should enjoy. We believe that societies which aim to guarantee freedom of religion or belief are more stable, prosperous and resilient against violent extremism.We are robust in raising the full range of our human rights concerns with the Chinese authorities. We raised our concerns over restriction of freedom of religion or belief as part of China’s Universal Periodic Review in November 2018, and in our 27 June 2018 statement at the UN Human Rights Council.​

Pakistan: Religious Freedom

the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the state of freedom of religion or belief in Pakistan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in Pakistan. The British Government strongly condemns the persecution of all minorities, including the targeting of innocent people based on their beliefs. Pakistan is one of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) human rights priority countries, as set out in the FCO's 2017 Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report available at the gov.uk website.We regularly raise the issues of freedom of religion and belief and the protection of minority religious communities, with the Pakistan government at a senior level. When the Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister Imran Khan in August, she highlighted the importance of Pakistan delivering on its commitments to strengthen institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law, and to advance the rights of minorities. I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, in September 2018.Under the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, the British Government has supported projects in Pakistan to promote greater tolerance and religious freedom.The UK raised concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief at Pakistan's UN Universal Periodic Review of human rights in November 2017. We pressed Pakistan to strengthen the protection of minorities, including by establishing an independent National Commission for Minorities from all faith communities.We continue to urge Pakistan to take the steps necessary to comply in full with its human rights obligations, including engaging with the UN and other international bodies, and to ensure that the rights of minorities are respected.

Pakistan: Religious Freedom

the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to (1) support religious pluralism, and (2) promote freedom of religion or belief, in Pakistan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We remain deeply concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion or belief in Pakistan. The British Government strongly condemns the persecution of all minorities, including the targeting of innocent people based on their beliefs. Pakistan is one of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's (FCO) human rights priority countries, as set out in the FCO 2017 Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report available at the gov.uk website.We regularly raise the issues of freedom of religion and belief and the protection of minority religious communities, with the Pakistan government at a senior level. When the Prime Minister spoke to Prime Minister Imran Khan in August, she highlighted the importance of Pakistan delivering on its commitments to strengthen institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law, and to advance the rights of minorities. I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, in September 2018.Under the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, the British Government has supported projects in Pakistan to promote greater tolerance and religious freedom.The UK raised concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief at Pakistan's UN Universal Periodic Review of human rights in November 2017. We pressed Pakistan to strengthen the protection of minorities, including by establishing an independent National Commission for Minorities from all faith communities.We continue to urge Pakistan to take the steps necessary to comply in full with its human rights obligations, including engaging with the UN and other international bodies, and to ensure that the rights of minorities are respected.

Asia Bibi

the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan (1) to uphold the decision by Pakistan’s Supreme Court to acquit Asia Bibi, and (2) that she be removed from any Exit Control List.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​As the Prime Minister stated in Parliament on 14 November, the British Government's primary concern is for the safety and security of Asia Bibi and her family. We want to see a swift resolution of the situation. Prime Minister Imran Khan has made clear publicly his support for the Supreme Court of Pakistan and promised to uphold the rule of law, while providing continued protection for Asia Bibi. Pakistan's Foreign Minister has publicly confirmed that Asia Bibi will remain under the protection of the Pakistan government until the legal review process has concluded.

Syria: Conflict Resolution

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the result was of the meeting in Istanbul on 27 October between the Astana Guarantor states and the Syria Small Group; and whether positive proposals towards resolving the conflict in Syria were made then or at the meeting on 29 October.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: At their summit on Syria on 27 October the leaders of Germany, France, Turkey and Russia agreed a joint statement. We particularly welcome the commitments in the joint statement to a 'lasting ceasefire' in Idlib and to formation of a Constitutional Committee by the end of 2018. The Small Group meeting last month, affirmed the need for a negotiated political settlement to end the conflict and that the UN-led Geneva process remains the forum to do so.

Yemen: Prisoners of War

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to encourage all parties in the conflict in Yemen to exchange prisoners; and whether they will seek the cooperation of Kuwait and Oman for this purpose.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK supports the UN Special Envoy for Yemen in facilitating a credible peace process in Yemen, including his work towards securing a deal on the exchange of prisoners and detainees, which could help to build confidence between parties. During his visit to the Middle East on 12 November, the Foreign Secretary met his Omani counterpart and discussed the importance of all parties engaging with the UN-led political process.

Czech Republic: British Nationals Abroad

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they are making for UK citizens to be able to get married in the Czech Republic after the UK has left the European Union; and what advice, if any, they provide to those who wish to do so.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​UK nationals will be able to continue to get married in the Czech Republic after the UK leaves the EU, as arrangements are in place for both EU and non-EU nationals to do so now. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is committed to ensuring that clear and accessible information is available for UK nationals living, working and travelling overseas, including in the EU. UK nationals in the Czech Republic should visit the 'UK nationals in the EU' page and Living in the Czech Republic Guides on gov.uk, and follow the Embassy social media channels for the latest information on the UK's withdrawal from the EU. The FCO provides advice to those considering getting married overseas on the 'Getting Married Abroad' pages on gov.uk.

Yemen: Conflict Resolution

baroness northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are working on a UN Security Council resolution to formalise calls for a ceasefire in Yemen;and if not,whether they plan to do so.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: A cessation of hostilities must be the first priority as we seek to put in place a longer term solution to the Yemen conflict. On Monday 19 November, the UK circulated a draft UN Security Resolution. We are discussing with our partners on the Security Council how best to take this forward. We have a window of opportunity in the political process in which to work for the best solution for the people of Yemen and support the efforts of the UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths towards planned talks in Stockholm this week.

Bahrain: Detainees

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 26 July 2017 (HL844 and HL845), 8 January (HL4425 and HL4427), 8 May (HL7180 and HL7183), 11 May (HL7811), 18 June (HL8316), 25 June (HL8576 and HL8577), 4 July (HL8871), 25 July (HL9605), 23 October (HL10580, HL10581, HL10582, HL10583, HL10584, and HL10585), and 5 November (HL10908, HL10909, HL10910, and HL10961), what assessment they have made of the UN Committee against Torture’s concluding remarks on the second and third periodic reports of Bahrain, published on 29 May 2017, and its concerns that the Bahraini bodies to which people may file complaints about torture or ill-treatment are “not independent”, have “little or no effect”, and provide “negligible information regarding the outcome of their activities”; and, in the light of those concerns, why they “encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the relevant human rights oversight bodies”.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We believe that the oversight bodies in Bahrain, including the Ministry of Interior Ombudsman, are structured so that they are able to operate independently from the organisations that they oversee. While these bodies still have more to do, they have already demonstrated their abilities including through the prosecution of more than 70 police officers accused of human rights abuses.

Israel: Gaza

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to (1) make representations to the government of Israel, and (2) take other steps, to ensure the safety of people in Gaza (a) from incursions by the Israel Defense Forces, and (b) when protesting peacefully at border fences.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK is very concerned at the high numbers of Palestinians killed and injured by Israel Defence Forces (IDF) in the West Bank and Gaza. We have raised the issue with the Israeli authorities, encouraging them to carry out transparent investigations into whether the use of live fire had been appropriate. The UK has repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the IDF police protests, including use of live ammunition. We will continue to do so.

Israel: Gaza

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the (1) reduction of the permissible fishing zone off the coast of Gaza, and (2) the reports of shots fired at fishermen outside the zone.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We regularly raise with the Government of Israel on Gaza the urgent need to ease all access and movement restrictions including fishing limits. This would help to restore the fishing industry. We are concerned by all acts of violence in Gaza, including in the fishing areas. All sides have a responsibility to protect civilians.

Israel: Gaza

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the current status of Gaza, (2) the control which Israel exerts over it, and (3) Israel’s obligations towards civilians living there.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We consider that the level of control that Israel retains over the Gaza strip amounts to occupation under international law and hence Israel's presence is governed by the provisions of the Fourth Geneva Conventions of 1949, to which Israel is a state party. The UK is closely monitoring the situation in Gaza. We remain deeply concerned about restrictions on movement and access in Gaza, and the impact that these have on the humanitarian situation. We have frequent discussions with the Government of Israel about the need to ease restrictions on Gaza.

Israel: Gaza

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment have they made of Israel’s refusal to allow students from Gaza to study at West Bank universities.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We consistently urge Israel to ease movement and access restrictions across the Occupied Palestinian Territories, not least because of the impact that the restrictions have on continuity of education.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ruling on 26 August by the Israeli High Court that seven women previously denied entry to Israel for medical treatment on the grounds that they were relatives of Hamas operatives must be allowed entry; and what discussions have they had with the government of Israel about whether this ruling could be applied to others.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We are aware that the Israeli Supreme Court ordered the State to allow five medical patients to travel from Gaza to Israel in order to receive treatment for cancer. More generally the Court also ruled that the Israeli Security Cabinet’s 2017 decision to deny Gazan patients access to medical treatment as a means of leverage over Hamas was ineffective and illegal. We remain deeply concerned about restrictions on movement and access in Gaza, and the impact that this is having on the humanitarian situation. Our Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises the matter of medical permits with the Israeli authorities and supports a project aimed at improving health in Gaza through facilitating exit permits and medical delegations to Gaza.

John Cao

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the case of John Cao, arrested in Yunnan Province, China, on a charge of illegal border crossing, and (2) the statement by his representative, Li Guisheng, that Mr Cao has been “wrongfully convicted".

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are concerned by the arrest and detention of John Cao and will raise his case at the next round of the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue. We remain concerned by the restrictions placed on Christianity and other religions in China, that include individuals being harassed or detained for their beliefs. The freedom to practise, change or share ones faith or belief without discrimination or violent opposition is a human right that all people should enjoy. We believe that societies which aim to guarantee freedom of religion or belief are more stable, prosperous and resilient against violent extremism.We are robust in raising the full range of our human rights concerns with the Chinese authorities. We raised our concerns over restriction of freedom of religion or belief as part of China’s Universal Periodic Review in November 2018, and in our 27 June 2018 statement at the UN Human Rights Council.

John Cao

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made any representations to the government of China about (1) the conduct of the trial of John Cao, arrested in Yunnan Province, China, on a charge of illegal border crossing, (2) the request from his representatives for his appeal to be heard in a timely manner, and (3) his treatment in detention.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are concerned by the arrest and detention of John Cao and will raise his case at the next round of the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue. We remain concerned by the restrictions placed on Christianity and other religions in China, that include individuals being harassed or detained for their beliefs. The freedom to practise, change or share ones faith or belief without discrimination or violent opposition is a human right that all people should enjoy. We believe that societies which aim to guarantee freedom of religion or belief are more stable, prosperous and resilient against violent extremism.We are robust in raising the full range of our human rights concerns with the Chinese authorities. We raised our concerns over restriction of freedom of religion or belief as part of China’s Universal Periodic Review in November 2018, and in our 27 June 2018 statement at the UN Human Rights Council.

Libya: IRA

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received any information from the government of Libya regarding the settlement of claims made by victims of Semtex supplied to the IRA from Libya.

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have formally requested compensation for (1) the UK, and (2) individuals, from the government of Libya arising from the supply of Semtex to the IRA; and if so, when such a request was submitted.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We want to see a just solution for all of the victims of IRA terrorism. We continue to press the Libyan authorities to engage constructively with victims and their representatives in their campaign for compensation, and to make clear the UK regards this issue as unresolved and that the Libyan Government has a responsibility to deal with the country's past. In August, the Secretary of State for International Development raised this with Libyan Prime Minister Serraj. In April, the Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa discussed it with Prime Minister Serraj and the Ministers of the Interior, Justice and Foreign Affairs. He also discussed it with the Libyan Minister for Planning on 22 November. Our Ambassador to Libya frequently raises compensation at the highest levels of the Libyan Government. The violence and instability in Libya represent significant obstacles to the resolution of legacy issues.

Libya: IRA

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any agreement has been reached between the UK and the government of Libya providing for Libyan investment in the UK instead of direct compensation being paid to victims of Libyan-supplied Semtex.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​There has been no investment agreement between the UK and Libya in lieu of direct compensation for victims.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the destruction of an agricultural road between the town of Aqraba and Khirbst Yanoun which prevents access to their land for those living nearby.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: While we have not made any representations specifically on this issue, we are gravely concerned by continued demolition of Palestinian property by the Israeli authorities. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv repeatedly raised our concerns about demolitions with Israeli ministers and senior officials, and urged them to cease the counter-productive policy of demolitions, and provide a transparent route to construction for Palestinians in Area C.

Department of Health and Social Care

Dementia and Parkinson's Disease

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they spent in total in providing medical treatment, social support, and financial assistance for sufferers of Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's, and other related conditions, in the last year for which figures are available.

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much they spent in total in supporting direct research into finding effective treatments for the eradication of Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's, and other related conditions, in the last year for which figures are available.

lord o'shaughnessy: Data on the total spent by Government on providing medical treatment, social support and financial assistance for people with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Parkinson’s or other related conditions is not collected or reported centrally.In the Challenge on Dementia 2020, the Government committed to double spending on dementia research to £300 million between 2015 and 2020. This is equivalent to around £60 million per annum and we are on track to meet this pledge. In 2017/18 the Government spent £82.5 million on dementia research. Much of the investment is for research to better understand the nature of dementia, to inform development of future treatments and find ways to prevent the onset of the condition.The following table shows Government spending on dementia research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Medical Research Council (MRC) and Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). £000sNIHRMRCESRCTotal2009-1012,67814,80080028,2452010-1118,61216,8001,40036,4562011-1225,08717,7001,20043,7692012-1325,55625,3002,50052,2492013-1427,17532,5532,30360,1872014-1531,48323,9683,33358,3732015-1637,62256,7532,96196,3962016-1744,62336,0002,49083,1132017-1842,98736,3003,24182,528

Dementia and Parkinson's Disease

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to form strategic global alliances with other governments, charitable organisations, and private companies to combine all available resources in finding effective treatments for the eradication of Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's, and other related conditions.

lord o'shaughnessy: Dementia remains a global challenge that we are committed to tackle in partnership with governments and organisations across the world. Following the first G8 Dementia Summit in December 2013, the United Kingdom has been leading international efforts to fight dementia and working with international partners such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, the World Dementia Council and countries within the G7, European Union and beyond, to that end. In May 2017, the Government committed to support the WHO Global Plan of Action on Dementia, during the World Health Assembly. The UK is also part of ‘Act on Dementia’, a three-year European Union Joint Action to promote collaboration between members. As part of this work, the UK is leading a work package to support the development of dementia friendly communities across Europe. The Department co-founded the international Dementia Discovery Fund, the largest venture fund in the world focussed on funding research for a single disease area.

In Vitro Fertilisation: Drugs

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord O’Shaughnessy on 15 November (HL11187 and HL11188), what data are recorded by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s pharmacovigilance work and the Yellow Card Scheme regarding drugs and dosages administered to women during IVF treatment and early pregnancy; to what extent this includes off-label drugs in order to monitor their long-term effects on women undergoing IVF treatment; how this compares to the collection of such data in other countries; and why the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has no plans to establish a central database to monitor the long-term health implications of the medicines administered to women during IVF.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) continuously monitors all reports of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) via the Yellow Card Scheme, including those reported in association with use for assisted reproduction such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF). These include reports of licensed and off-label use of medicines to suppress the natural menstrual cycle, medicines to prepare and stimulate the ovaries for ovulation, medicines at the time of egg collection and embryo transfer and medicines used to support the placenta during early pregnancy. The doses of each medicine used are set out in the product information of licensed medicines and are considered as part of the evaluation process when a potential safety concern is reviewed. A suspected ADR may be reported at any time after the medicine has been taken.European Union legislation requires Member States to provide spontaneous reporting systems for ADRs to medicines. Such systems are widely used internationally for collection of suspected adverse reactions.Data from the register of patients and treatments, maintained by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), is already used for research on the long-term health implications of medicines administered during IVF. Among the research projects that have been conducted using HFEA register data are studies that looked at the cancer risk for women undergoing fertility treatment and children born as a result of assisted reproduction.

Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 15 November (HL11187 and HL11188), how many emergency and out-of-hours admissions due to ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) were reported to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority in the last five years for which figures are available; what evidence supports their view that some OHSS-related admissions may have been incorrectly coded in the Hospital Episode Statistics; how many such admissions they estimate have been incorrectly coded in the last five years for which figures are available; and what steps they are taking to ensure that OHSS-related admissions are correctly recorded.

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Lord O'Shaughnessy on 15 November (HL11187 and HL11188), how many emergency and out-of-hours admissions due to Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome were investigated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority in the last five years for which figures are available; whether any such investigations resulted in published reports; and if so, where such reports are available.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it is a requirement for all its licensed centres to report cases of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) that require a hospital admission and have a severity grading of severe or critical. Some centres also report cases of mild or moderate OHSS.Between 1 October 2013 and 31 October 2018 there were 792 OHSS cases reported requiring hospital admission (391 of which were classified as severe and 401 classified as mild/moderate). HFEA does not hold data on whether these admissions were out of hours or via emergency admission. Following the reports of cases of severe or critical OHSS, the centres are required to conduct a root cause analysis and submit a report to the HFEA. The HFEA publishes an annual report on incidents, of which OHSS cases form a part.From April 2018 the HFEA has required its licensed centres to provide it with more information about treatment provided to patients in cases of severe OHSS. This information will be collected for two years and will then be analysed.The HFEA has also advised that following discussions with key stakeholders it has reached a view that the Hospital Episode Statistics data may include a mislabelling of cases of OHSS. A paper presented to Authority members in January 2018 sets out the work undertaken to examine the reporting of severe and critical OHSS. A copy of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome is attached. HFEA does not hold estimates of the number of hospital admissions that may have been incorrectly coded for OHSS.HFEA is continuing to work to better understand the incidence of OHSS, reduce its occurrence and improve reporting. 



OHSS Authority paper
(Word Document, 141 KB)

Department for International Development

Burma: Humanitarian Aid

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the practice of using informal border crossings between China and Myanmar for humanitarian purposes.

lord bates: The Department for International Development has not directly assessed the practice of informal border crossings for humanitarian purposes. The UK funds humanitarian support in Kachin and Shan States (£6.1 million in financial year 2017/18). We also continue to press the Burmese authorities for improved access for international groups to Kachin and Shan States at all opportunities.

Department for Education

Universities: Admissions

lord black of brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions the Department for Education is having with the Russell Group of universities regarding adding music to their list of facilitating subjects.

viscount younger of leckie: Universities are autonomous from government, and consequently control the criteria used to determine admissions. We are aware that the Russell Group, which comprises 24 of the UK’s leading universities, publishes guidance designed to assist applicants in identifying the A level subjects most likely to facilitate entry to one of their member universities. From engagement with the Russell Group, we understand they are currently reviewing their guidance. The department recognises the importance of arts subjects, including music, and students’ ability to make informed choices is at the heart of our recent reforms to higher education. We are increasing the information available to students to ensure they can make informed choices about what and where to study.

Arts: Apprentices

lord foster of bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any benefits of bringing the creative industries’ current voluntary training and skills levy within the scope of the Apprenticeship Levy.

lord foster of bath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to monitor the impact of the Apprenticeship Levy on the creative industries sector; and what assessment they have made of the impact of the Levy compared to other types of employer investment.

lord agnew of oulton: The creative industry voluntary training levies, managed by ScreenSkills, and the apprenticeships levy cover different things. Therefore, it would be inappropriate to bring the creative industries’ current voluntary levy into the scope of the apprenticeship levy. The apprenticeship levy is specifically used to fund high quality apprenticeship training and end-point assessment across all sectors. The creative industry voluntary levies can be spent on a wide range of specialist training, including help with associated costs such as travel, accommodation and childcare. The voluntary levies operate across film, high-end television, animation and children’s television as part of the tax incentive regime for these sectors. The apprenticeship levy only affects around 2% of employers and the majority of the creative sector do not pay it. Instead, they can benefit from government investment covering at least 90% of training costs. This will rise to 95% in 2019.

Ministry of Justice

Television: Licensing

lord borwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many individuals were (1) cautioned, (2) charged, and (3) convicted as a result of non-payment of the BBC licence fee in each of the last three years; and how many Magistrate Court cases arose as a result of such non-payment.

lord keen of elie: No offenders have been cautioned by the police for television licence evasion: the TV Licencing Organisation, rather than the police are the prosecuting authority in these cases. The Ministry of Justice does not hold charge data. However, data on cases heard and convictions is as follows:  Television Licence Evasion FiguresYearCases HeardConvictions2015190,336166,6952016172,957152,7132017138,698129,245

Prosecutions

lord borwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many (1) individuals were charged, and (2) Magistrate Court cases (a) were heard, and (b) ended in conviction, in England and Wales in each of the last three years.

lord keen of elie: The Ministry of Justice does not hold charge data. However, data on cases heard and convictions is as follows:  Magistrates' Courts FiguresYearCases HeardConvictions20151,492,1601,179,91920161,456,1771,176,11720171,392,1391,146,720

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Private Rented Housing: Empty Property

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of private rented properties left vacant since councils were allowed to levy council tax on such properties compared to previously; and what assessment they have made of the impact any increase in the amount councils may levy will have on the number of such properties.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Since 2013, local authorities have had the discretion to charge up to 100 per cent Council Tax on any empty property and to levy a council tax premium of up to 50 per cent on properties that have been empty for two years or more. The Government has recently introduced legislation which will allow local authorities to increase the Council Tax premium; to 100 per cent on homes empty for 2 years or more from April 2019; to 200 per cent on homes empty for more than five years from April 2020 and up to 300 per cent on homes empty for more than 10 years from April 2021. The Government does not collect data that identifies vacant private rented properties and has not undertaken an assessment of the impact any changes in Council Tax levels might have on such properties.

Sleeping Rough

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to put an end to rough sleeping and provide destitute people with suitable housing.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: We have committed to halve rough sleeping by 2022 and end it by 2027. The Government is implementing a range of measures to tackle rough sleeping such as the Homeless Reduction Act, which is the most ambitious homelessness legislative reform in decades. The Rough Sleeping Strategy is backed by £100 million of funding over the next two years and the Rough Sleeping Initiative will provide 500 new dedicated homelessness workers and 1,750 additional bed spaces this winter.

Non-domestic Rates: Appeals

the earl of lytton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether in the context of check-challenge-appeal it is a requirement under Regulation 22(1A) of the Non-Domestic Rating (Alteration of Lists and Appeals) (England) Regulations 2009 (as amended) for the Valuation Office Agency in issuing notifications or certificates to communicate with both the ratepayer and the ratepayer's registered agent simultaneously; and if not, what is the procedure for making sure that both ratepayer and agent receive timely and accurate information necessary to progress through the process.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: It is a requirement on the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) under Regulation 22(1A) of the Non-Domestic Rating (Alteration of Lists and Appeals) (England) Regulations 2009 (as amended) that, at the same time certain notices relating to the progression of a case or imposition of a penalty are sent to a ratepayer’s agent they must also be provided to the ratepayer. The VOA has procedures to ensure that notices are sent to an interested party and their agent at the same time.

Department for Work and Pensions

British Nationals Abroad: Italy

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they are making for UK citizens to be able to retire to Italy after the UK has left the European Union; and what advice, if any, they provide to those who wish to do so.

baroness buscombe: The Agreement and Political declaration on future relations with the EU marks a significant step forward regarding the UK’s relationship with the EU after we exit the European Union. We have agreed in principle the terms of the UK’s smooth and orderly exit from the EU, as set out in the Withdrawal Agreement. We have also agreed the broad terms of our future relationship as set out in the outline Political Declaration which includes defined elements of social security coordination.

Poverty

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Statement on Visit to the United Kingdom, by Professor Philip Alston, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, published on 16 November; whether they intend to make a formal response to the Statement; and if not, why not.

baroness buscombe: The Government will carefully consider the findings set out in the Special Rapporteur’s interim report published on 16 November. Professor Alston’s final report will be presented to the June 2019 session of the of the Human Rights’ Council. Any formal comments made by the Government in response will be published alongside the final report on the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ website.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Bovine Tuberculosis Strategy Review

baroness parminter: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish their response to the Bovine TB Strategy Review, published in October.

lord gardiner of kimble: As set out in my written statement of 13 November 2018 (HLWS1048) the Government will consider the Review recommendations carefully and a formal response will be published in due course.

Home Office

British Nationality: Children

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 6 November (HL10945), whether they will now answer the question previously asked, namely how many children have had their applications for British citizenship denied because they failed the good character test in each of the last five years for which information is available.

baroness williams of trafford: I refer the Baroness to my previous answer.The information which is now available indicates there were a total of 255 refusals of applications for British citizenship on character grounds under Section 41A of the British Nationality Act 1981 for minors and young persons (aged 10 to 18) in the period 2013 to 2017.A table giving the breakdown by calendar year is given below Refusals of applications from minors for British citizenship on grounds that the applicant was 'Not of good character'Year of decisionRefusals of registration for applicants aged 10 to 18 years under section 41A of the British Nationality Act 1981  201378  201444  201539  201659  201735  Source: Home Office Migration Statistics Immigration Statistics year to March 2018. Subset of 'Not of good character' in table cz_09.  Age is calculated as at date of decision. We consider it appropriate to apply to minors the same criminality thresholds in the good character test that are applied to adults, and there are no current plans to review this.10 and over is in line with the age of criminal responsibility.

Domestic Violence

baroness afshar: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their planned domestic abuse legislation will consider and provide for domestic abuse in communities where men assume that abuse is sanctioned by their faith.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government is clear that domestic abuse is a crime irrespective of whether that abuse is claimed to be sanctioned by faith.We will be publishing a response to our public consultation on domestic abuse, together with a draft Domestic Abuse Bill, later this Parliamentary session.The draft Bill will clearly define the types of behaviours that comprise domestic abuse be they controlling, coercive, threatening or violent and recognise that abuse can encompass psychological, physical, sexual, economic and emotional harms.

Asia Bibi

the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have received from the family of Asia Bibi that they be granted asylum in the UK.

baroness williams of trafford: As the Prime Minister set out on 14 November, the release of Asia Bibi will be very welcome news to her family and to all those who have campaigned in Pakistan and around the world for her release. We welcome the assurances the Government of Pakistan has given on keeping her and her family safe and it is important that all countries seek to uphold the rule of law and afford security and protection for the rights of all citizens irrespective of faith or belief.It is a longstanding Government policy not to comment on individual cases. In accordance with our duty of confidentiality, we cannot confirm whether an asylum claim has been received or the outcome of such a request. Departing from this policy may put individuals and their family members in danger.

Asylum: Pakistan

the lord bishop of coventry: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many applications for asylum from Pakistan on grounds of religious persecution they received in the years ending (1) June 2015, (2) June 2016, (3) June 2017, and (4) June 2018; and of those, how many applications were granted in each year.

baroness williams of trafford: All asylum claims lodged in the UK are carefully considered on their individual merits against a background of relevant case law and up to date country information. We ensure that claimants are given every opportunity to disclose information relevant to their claim under a Convention reason as set out in the 1951 Refugee Convention.The data required to answer the question is not recorded in a way that can be reported on accurately. The Home Office does not electronically record the Convention reason on which an individual claims asylum and so we cannot identify how many asylum claimants, from a specific country, have been granted asylum due to a claim made on the grounds of religious persecution.However, the Home Office publishes figures on the outcome of all asylum claims, which can be broken down by nationality, in the Immigration Statistics release. The breakdown is as follows:Year ending Jun-15Jun-16Jun-17Jun-18Applications from Pakistani nationals2313300025982313Grants of Pakistani nationals; Including Humanitarian Protection, Discretionary leave, Exceptional Leave and other grants of Leave outside the Rules.610300295294Grants of Asylum of Pakistani nationals568288277269

Domestic Violence

baroness finlay of llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will include abuse by coercive control in their proposed legislation on domestic abuse.

baroness williams of trafford: The previous Government created a ground-breaking new offence of controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship which came into force in December 2015 to recognise the patterns of manipulation and control that characterise domestic abuse. Since then we have seen 294 successful convictions and the number of prosecutions increased threefold in 2017.As part of the Government’s domestic abuse consultation earlier this year, we asked whether further action should be taken to strengthen the offence. We will be publishing a response to the consultation, together with a draft Domestic Abuse Bill, later this Parliamentary session.

Passports

lord forsyth of drumlean: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 16 November (HL11239 and HL11240), why Irish citizens born before 1983 with English mothers are treated differently to those with English fathers; and whether they intend to remove this difference.

baroness williams of trafford: British women were unable to pass on their citizenship to children born outside of the UK until 1983.The change was not made retrospective to avoid issues that could arise around dual nationality. A registration provision has been in place since 2003 to allow children of British mothers born before 1983 to register as a British citizen.

Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration

lord green of deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the speech by the Prime Minister to the UN General Assembly in 2017, what assessment they have made of the extent to which the Global Compact for Safe Orderly and Regular Migration reflects UK policies on (1) the right of states to control their borders, (2) the need to distinguish between refugees and economic migrants, and (3) whether refugees should seek asylum in the first safe country they reach.

baroness williams of trafford: The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration is a legally non-binding document which will complement existing legal frameworks and foster stronger international cooperation on migration – which is a shared, global issue.Alongside the Global Compact for Refugees, it will support the UK’s 3 Global Migration Principles set out by the Prime Minister at UN General Assembly in 2016, namely: to acknowledge the right of countries to control their borders; to improve how we distinguish between refugees and economic migrants; and to ensure refugees claim asylum in the first safe country they reach.The UK welcomes the explicit commitment in the Compact for states to uphold their national sovereignty and continue to set domestic migration policy. We will therefore continue to control our borders and prevent irregular migration to the UK.By negotiating separate and distinct Global Compacts on Migration and Refugees we have helped strengthen international recognition of the distinction between the two, which will help ensure support is targeted to those in need and migration is better managed. The Global Compact for Refugees supports the Prime Minister’s principle that refugees should seek asylum in the first safe country they reach by promoting greater support to hosting countries to protect and support refugees.

Department for Exiting the European Union

Brexit

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the UK will leave the EU on 29 March 2019 regardless of whether there is a withdrawal deal.

lord callanan: The United Kingdom will leave the European Union on 29 March 2019. EU leaders have now endorsed the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration on the future relationship between the UK and EU. This is a deal that works for the entirety of the UK. It takes back control of our laws, borders and money and it sets out a clear vision for the UK’s future relationship with the EU.We will put the final deal to Parliament and MPs will have to decide whether to back or reject it.

Treasury

Insolvency

baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impactof the announcement in the 2018 Budgetof making HMRC a secondary preferential creditor in insolvency on (1) secured creditors, (2) floating charge holders, and (3) unsecured creditors such as pension funds and small businesses.

baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on lending to UK businesses of the announcement in the 2018 Budgetof making HMRC a secondary preferential creditor in insolvency.

baroness burt of solihull: To ask Her Majesty's Government what economic analysis they used to support the decisionin the 2018 Budget to make HMRC a secondary preferential creditor in insolvency.

lord bates: The government does not expect this reform to significantly impact access to finance or the cost of borrowing.The independent OBR did not make any adjustments to their economic forecast in regard to this measure.At Budget 2018, the Government published the following assessment:Type of CreditorExplanation and ExamplesCurrent Average Percentage of Debt Recovered in InsolvencyNew Average Percentage of Debt Recovered in InsolvencyFixed charge secured creditorsLenders to whom the business granted security, primarily financial institutions. When a fixed charge is provided, the company loses the right to sell or trade the item. These assets tend to be fundamental to the business; for example, machinery, property or vehicles.36%36% (unchanged)Insolvency practitionersFees for overseeing the process.As chargedAs chargedPreferential CreditorsClaims by the Redundancy Payment Service (RPS) and Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) on behalf of employees and customers (to statutory limits); and from 2020, HMRC will be a secondary preferential creditor (below the RPS and FSCS) for Value-Added Tax, Employee National Insurance contributions, Pay-As-You-Earn Income Tax and Construction Industry Scheme Deductions.83%83% (unchanged) for existing preferential creditors; 14% for HMRCFloating charge secured creditorsLenders for whom the company is not granted security, primarily financial institutions. This tends t be the case in relation to assets that are not fixed; for example, stocks, raw materials, fixtures and fittings or cash.36%Less than 36%Unsecured creditorsAll remaining creditors, including HMRC debts levied directly on businesses; and debts owed to suppliers, contractors, landlords and customers.4%Less than 4%ShareholderOnly get paid if all the above creditors are paid in full.N/AN/A

Banks: Closures

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of bank branch closures on the financial well-being of the elderly.

lord bates: The Treasury does not make assessments of bank branch closures, including the impact on the financial well-being of the elderly, as this is a commercial matter for banks. However, the Government believes it is important the impact of branch closures on communities is understood, considered and mitigated where possible. That’s why the Government supports the industry’s Access to Banking Standard which helps customers to understand the options they have locally to continue to access banking services, including specialist assistance for customers who need more help, which may include the elderly. The Government also considers it important that all customers, wherever they live and especially those who are vulnerable, can still access over the counter banking services. The Post Office’s Banking Framework Agreement enables 99% of banks’ personal customers to carry out their everyday banking at a Post Office counter via its network of 11,500 branches. The Government believes it is essential that more customers are aware of these useful services. This is why we asked UK Finance and the Post Office to create a 5-point action plan to increase publicity of Post Office banking services and ensure more customers can benefit from them.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Public Libraries

lord shipley: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether an audit has been undertaken of library provision in each local authority to assess whether any local authority is now failing to meet statutory requirements in relation to public access; and if so, which authorities are not currently meeting those statutory requirements.

lord ashton of hyde: Local authorities in England have a statutory duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service that meets local needs. The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport also has a duty to superintend, and promote the improvement of, the public library service provided by local authorities in England, and to secure the proper discharge by local authorities of their library authority functions. DCMS takes the statutory duty seriously and monitors proposed changes to library service provision throughout England. Where DCMS receives a complaint that a local authority may be failing to meet its duty, we will carefully consider the evidence before deciding if a local inquiry is needed. The Department is currently handling eight complaints to determine whether the changes to library service provision mean that these are no longer providing comprehensive and efficient library services.